[Forum] Interpretation of “Epitaph of Yelv, Son-in-law of Liao Southern Zaixiang Xiao Deshun”

By interpreting “Epitaph of the Son-in-law of The Great Khitan Southern Zaixiang Xiao Deshun” (Liao Chongxi 7th year) now reserved in the Khitan Museum in Bariin Left Banner, Inner Mongolia, we found that the son-in-law‘s great grandfather is Kunning who is actually Yelv Yaliguo, the son of Yelv Abaoji and a palace maid Xiao. This name only appeared in “Prince List, History of Liao”, but the name Nieligun, Nieligude, Nieligu, Teligun in “Biographic Sketches of Emperors, History of Liao”, “Collected Biographies, History of Liao”, “Old History of Five Dynasties” are all the different transcriptions of Yaliguo. The son-in-law’s grandfather is Yelv Dilie in “Prince List, History of Liao”, and his father is Yelv Liuning, which may be the same person as Yelv Heluning in “Biographic Sketches of Emperors, History of Liao”. The interpretation of this epitaph will make the fourth son of Yelv Abaoji, Yelv Yaliguo’s four-generation-family-tree more clear, and will offer new materials to study the royal lineage of Liao Dynasty.

现存于内蒙古巴林左旗契丹博物馆的辽重熙七年(1038)《大契丹南宰相萧德顺别婿墓志铭》，经考释，别婿的曾祖父坤宁即耶律阿保机与宫女萧氏所生的耶律牙里果。此人仅见《辽史·皇子表》中，但在《辽史·本纪》、《辽史·列传》、《旧五代史》中的涅里衮、涅里骨德、涅里古、特哩衮等均为牙里果的别译。别婿之祖父耶律迪烈见于《辽史·皇子表》，父耶律留宁疑即《辽史·本纪》中的耶律曷鲁宁。由于对此墓志铭的考释，使耶律阿保机第四子耶律牙里果的四代族系及其事迹变得更加清晰，为研究辽代皇族谱系提供新鲜材料。